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A Really Short History of Words HB

A Really Short History of Words HB

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A Really Short History of Words: An illustrated edition of the bestselling book about the English language
Bill Bryson (Author)

Adapted from Mother Tongue this stunningly illustrated book by Bill Bryson tells the story of English, from the first words ever spoken to the very first dictionaries.

Perfect for ages 8 to 80!

Every day, you do something incredible, and I bet you barely ever think about it: you speak. But have you ever wondered why the English language turned out like it did?

If so, this is the book for you. It will also answer some VERY important questions . . 

  • Why do we have the Vikings to thank for words like glitter and sky?
  • Why did goodbye used to be god be with you?
  • Why did LOL originally mean little old ladies?
  • And why did no one know what majestic meant until Shakespeare came along?

In this epic journey through words, rhymes - and even a few jokes - Bill Bryson will teach you how the English language came to be (clue: lots of invasions) and what makes it a rich and beautiful thing (lots of Shakespeare).

Get ready . . . because the story of the English language is an EXTRAORDINARY one.

Publication Date: 17 October 2024
Reading age: 9 - 13 years
Hardback: 128 pages
ISBN: 9780241666173
Dimensions: 23.5 x 1.7 x 30.5 cm

Shipping & Returns

Delivery Prices

All UK order are despatched via Royal Mail. Delivery charges are based on the total weight of goods ordered and will be calculated at checkout.

UK Royal Mail 24 and 48

Up to 150g - £1.99
150g - 1kg - £3.50 
1kg - 2kg - £4.50
2kg - 5kg - £8.00

For UK orders over 5kg in weight, please contact mailorder@rsc.org.uk for shipping costs.

International Tracked

This service is fully tracked to delivery point.

Europe delivery aim: 3-5 working days
Worldwide delivery aim: 5-7 working days

Delivery charges are based on the total weight of goods ordered and will be calculated at checkout.

For overseas orders over 3.5kg in weight, please contact mailorder@rsc.org.uk for shipping costs.

EU Delivery Information

There may be local duty and/or taxes payable on goods delivered outside the UK. The Royal Shakespeare Company is not liable for paying these charges.

Customs charges and policies vary widely from country to country. Orders for international shipping will be subject to import duties and taxes levied on arrival in their destination country. You are liable for any additional charges for customs clearance and if a package is refused and has to be returned to us, you will also be liable for the cost of this. If you are unsure of charges and regulations which may apply to your order, please contact your local customs office for further information. Generally, customs forms for internal packages will list the value of the contents of your order by product type.

Will I receive confirmation when my goods are shipped?

Yes; following your order confirmation we aim to process and ship your order within 1-2 days. However, any orders that are placed on a Friday afternoon, Saturday, Sunday or a UK public holiday shall be processed as of the following Monday or as of the next working day.

In certain cases where your order is likely to be delayed, such as where items are out of stock, we will contact you.

Shipping methods

Most UK orders are sent through Royal Mail packet post; this is a 3 day service from dispatch. Delivery speed where stated in days are based on working days (Monday-Friday) and exclude the day of posting, Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays in the UK and overseas.

Please be aware that orders may be dispatched in more than one package and although they are dispatched at the same time they may arrive separately. The number of packages will be recorded on the address label. 

Delivery

If your order has taken longer than the estimated delivery time we would advise customers to check with their local post office before contacting us.

If your order does not arrive within 7 days (UK) or 30 days (overseas and Europe), and in the unlikely event you have not been contacted, please contact us by emailing mailorder@rsc.org.uk

Pre-orders

We take payment when you place your order; your items will be dispatched once they arrive in stock. If your order contains both pre-order and in-stock items, we will dispatch the in-stock items immediately, and the pre-order items when they arrive – there is no additional shipping cost for this service.

Can I give a separate delivery and billing address?

Yes, during the checkout process you will have the option to specify both a billing and delivery address.

Can I send individual items to different addresses?

Unfortunately it is not possible to specify more than one delivery address per order. Should you need to send items to more than one address, you will need to place separate orders.

Can I send an order as a gift?

Your goods can be dispatched to any address you choose.

 

Last Posting Dates For Christmas

Please order items and gifts for Christmas early, particularly for International deliveries. Delivery before Christmas Day is not guaranteed.

Please note, during the festive period it is possible to experience delivery delays. So always ensure your orders are placed well in advance and allow extra time for deliveries to be made.

UK Standard Shipping
Wednesday, 18 December

International Tracked
Friday, 6 December - Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Finland, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Mexico, Norway, Portugal, Romania and Sweden

Monday, 9 December - Czech Republic, Malaysia, New Zealand, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey and United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Wednesday, 11 December - Austria, Denmark, India, Lithuania, Philippines, Qatar, Slovakia and Slovenia

Thursday, 12 December - Belgium, China (People’s Republic), Croatia, Estonia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Pakistan, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and USA

***Export Services to Canada are suspended due to industrial action by the Canadian Union of Postal Workers in Canada***

If you have any questions, please contact us at mailorder@rsc.org.uk

EU Delivery Information

There may be local duty and/or taxes payable on goods delivered outside the UK. The Royal Shakespeare Company is not liable for paying these charges.

Customs charges and policies vary widely from country to country. Orders for international shipping will be subject to import duties and taxes levied on arrival in their destination country. You are liable for any additional charges for customs clearance and if a package is refused and has to be returned to us, you will also be liable for the cost of this. If you are unsure of charges and regulations which may apply to your order, please contact your local customs office for further information. Generally, customs forms for internal packages will list the value of the contents of your order by product type.

Your privacy is important to us and we know that you care about how information about your order is used and shared. You should be aware that cross-border deliveries are subject to opening and inspection by customs authorities.

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